3 Tips for Traveling to Cuba

Traveling to Cuba is now more exciting than ever since it’s actually legal in many cases. This means that your travel plans no longer have to exclude the lovely island situated so close to the United States and filled with rich culture and beautiful people. However, since travel from the U.S. had been banned for so long, there are many aspects about visiting Cuba that will be different than when you visit other islands in the area. So to help you have the best time, here are three tips for traveling to Cuba.

Take Care While Driving

Unless you come to Cuba via marine vessel, you’ll fly into the country and have to manage your transportation on the island from there. While many travelers would ordinarily rent a car of their own, you may want to think twice before doing this in Cuba. According to Rick Jervis, a contributor to USA Today, driving yourself around Cuba can be very confusing and difficult. While it has beautiful views to offer, your safety and comfort should probably come first. So rather than getting a car for yourself, you may want to hire a driver who can get you from point A to point B. Jervis suggests asking the taxi that takes you to your lodging from the airport if he or she hires out for the day.

Prepare To Be Off The Grid

Even while traveling, many of us still feel the need to remain connected to home through technology. Whether you need to continue receiving emails from work or plan to Skype a loved one when you have some downtime, it’s not uncommon to stay on the grid while traveling. But in Cuba, this is often an impossibility.

Will Ripley, a contributor to CNN, shares that Cuba has a severe lack of Wi-Fi access and reliable mobile data, making it very hard to use many forms of technology that you may be used to. For this reason, you may want to consider just leaving your tablet or smartphone at home rather than pulling your hair out trying to find Internet access that will be shoddy at best.

Know How to Get Good Food

Sadly, Cuba hasn’t been known for having amazing food for tourists to eat. However, Matt Norman, a contributor to RoughGuides.com, shares that because previous restrictions on privately-run restaurants have been lifted, it’s now much easier to find good food in Cuba. Norman recommends sticking to paladars as opposed to state-run restaurants if you want to eat food that is more true to real Cuban culture and will take your taste buds on a ride.

Spending some quality time in Cuba is a great way to develop a love and appreciation for this country and its people. Use the tips mentioned above to ensure you have a wonderful time on this island paradise.